


$3 prophecies are Fate's mockeries

by elyteracy



Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Being a seer is not as fun as you think, Cards Against Humanity, F/M, Humor, Multi, Predictions, Urban Fantasy, Witches, cup noodles - freeform, the Monsters are witches
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-10
Updated: 2017-12-10
Packaged: 2019-02-13 06:37:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,550
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12978225
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elyteracy/pseuds/elyteracy
Summary: When Matt gets his truck stolen, he figures it cannot hurt to ask help from the witches on the floor above. He doesn't exactly find his truck, but the trade-off is worth it.





	$3 prophecies are Fate's mockeries

**Author's Note:**

  * For [rainbowshoes](https://archiveofourown.org/users/rainbowshoes/gifts).



On the third floor lived witches. Matt had been convinced there were only two for a while, one tall with tan skin and a small white boy with curly blond hair. It turned out, there were two of the curly haired white boy.

They were attending college on a Disfavored Witches scholarship, an attempt of Palmetto State University to be more inclusive. It was mostly for their reputation and not actual concern for the way witches were treated in society, that they had created the scholarship and hired a witch advisor, David Wymack. Matt thought it was nice anyway.

Matt didn't know much about the third-floor witches, except that the twins were terrifying, despite their small stature and that they all had different brands of magic.

He'd heard his fair share of rumors, obviously, but the craziest one was probably that one of the twins could give completely accurate predictions that had nothing to do with what you asked in the most ridiculous manner. Apparently, one of them could suck you soul out from your ears, and the other was an incubus.

 

"You okay?" Dan asked, when he came back. "It took you long."

She was lounging on the bed in sports shorts and one of Matt's t-shirts. It was not technically allowed to have a girl and a boy in a dorm together, but Matt's roommate was a trans woman and she hadn't minded moving in with Dan's old roommate.

"Someone stole the truck keys," Matt said, taking off his shoes and hanging his coat. "And the truck."

"You were mugged?" She asked, standing up to inspect him for any injury. She grabbed his face, pushed it to each side.

Matt took her hand and kissed the palms of the right one. "I wasn't hurt," he says. "It was weird. He just wanted the truck. He didn't even take my money."

Dan frowned. "That's weird but I'm just glad you are fine," she said, kissing the corner of his mouth. "It's going to be fine. We'll find something."

 

 

It turned out not fine.

Dan and Matt were both scholarship students and they did not have the money to buy a new car. Matt had gone to the police two days ago, one day after the theft, but they hadn't found anything yet.

They'd been able to catch rides with friends for the time being, but this couldn't go on.

Matt was getting desperate when he remembered the witches on the third floor. At this point, even something as crazy as asking for help from potentially mad people to find his truck couldn't hurt.

He wasn't sure what he'd expected to find on the door, but it certainly wasn't that. Maybe he'd hoped for sigils or magical things. A piece of paper was stuck to the door and read, in a fancy handwriting:

" _Simple prediction: 3 dollars_

_Complex prediction: 10 dollars_

_100% accurate, 100% not what you asked for_ " and just after, in a different handwriting, a simple one with round letters, was added: " _no refund_."

He knocked. Nothing happened for a few seconds until the door opened and a blond curly head poked out. The twin, Matt didn't know them enough to even guess which one, face blank. "What do you want?"

Matt rubbed his neck. "Well, you see a few days ago, my truck got stolen and I was wondering if-"

The twin closed the door in his face. Matt blinked, staring at the wood.

The door opened again. The same face appeared. The person was different though, except if the twin had changed from a black to a dark green t-shirt in the five seconds the door had been closed.

"I don't choose what I predict. It's written on the door, learn to read," the twin said, with a scowl.

"I mean, it doesn't hurt to try?" Matt said.

The twin stared at him for a second. Matt had the urge to fidget. Then he shrugged. "It's your money, I don't give a fuck." He pointed at the no refund on the sign. "Don't come complaining to me afterward."

Matt took out his wallet and held out three dollars. "Sorry, I don't know your name."

The twin pocketed the money. "Aaron. I need something of yours," he said and stuck his hand out, palm up.

"I just gave you money," Matt protested.

Aaron sighed. "Something personal. It's for the prediction," he said, and picking up on Matt's hesitation he added, "you'll get it back."

Matt thought about it for a moment. He took off his sweater and dumped it in Aaron's arms. "Old hoodie, don't lose it, it's my favorite."

Aaron frowned at it for a moment. "Fine, it'll do. Come back tomorrow," he said and closed the door in Matt's face. Again.

The twins were rude.

 

 

Dan comes with him the following day. When he'd decided it was time to go, in the evening to be sure to catch at least one of them, she followed him out.

"I'd like to see what these witches look like," she'd said.

He'd been completely silent in the dorm room last night, but now he could hear some banging and shouting inside. He glanced at Dan who only shrugged. He raises his hand to knock on the door when it opened.

"Don't let him leave!" Someone screamed.

By reflex, Matt caught the kid who was trying to escape. He was squirming so he threw him over his shoulder. The kid banged his fist against his back.

Dan caught his wrist. "Stop hitting my boyfriend, kid."

"Let me go!" He hissed, wriggling in Matt's grasp.

The twins appeared in the doorway. One of them was scowling with his arms crossed. The other looked bored by the entire situation, blood on his shirt.

"You do know kidnapping people is illegal?" Dan pointed out, a hand on her hips.

"We aren't kidnapping him," the last of the witches said, with a wave of his hand. He was tall with light brown skin and a beauty spot under his right eye. "Andrew and he had a car accident. He passed out so Andrew brought him here and Aaron's been taking care of him."

"You could have taken him to the hospital!" Dan exclaimed, lips pursed. Matt grimaced. She was angry, this would not end well.

"I'm a med student," Aaron said.

"Why is Aaron even taking care of him?" Dan asked.

There was a moment of confusion. Matt looked at Aaron. Aaron didn't seem bothered by the fact that he'd answered a question before he was asked. "I'm a seer," he said, like that explained the weirdness of what had just happened.

"Can you stop talking like I'm not here?" The kid said. He'd stopped trying to hit Matt now. It was an improvement.

"We only see your butt, idiot," Andrew said. "And he asked for no hospital before he passed out. Thought he'd say something useful, but no." Andrew waved a hand at the kid, looking very unconcerned with all this.

Matt put the kid down, but kept a hand on his arm. He was maybe nineteen, with brown hair, brown eyes and pale skin. A little button nose and a round jaw made him look quite young. He glared at Matt before turning to his apparently-not-kidnappers. "Fine, I'll stay," he said to Andrew and shouldered his way inside.

Andrew turned back without a word.

"Well, that's my cue. I'll make sure they don't kill each other." He laughed awkwardly. "This was a joke, sorry. It was maybe a little inappropriate. I'm Nicky by the way. Nice to meet you, bye," he finished in one streak and disappeared inside after Andrew.

That left Aaron. "Don't move," he said.

The door closed behind him.

"What a bunch of assholes," Dan muttered under her breath.

The door reopened. The situation was reminiscent of the one the night before, though the twin was still the same this time. He dumped Matt's hoodie in his arms, with a folded paper sheet on it and three dollars on top.

"I thought there was no refund," Matt pointed out.

Aaron glared at him. "Keep your mouth shut about our guest," he said.

"Are you bribing him?" Dan asked. "That's a very cheap bribe."

Aaron huffed and slammed the door in their face.

Dan laughed. "Well, that was interesting," she said, something between amused and bemused.

Matt put back the three dollars in his wallet. He opened the paper. " _Don't eat the tuna sandwich_ ," he read out loud.

Dan snorted. "Well, we know at least half of it was true," she said, referring to the paper on the door where 100% not what you asked for was written.

There was only the other half to test out now.

 

 

They went out for dinner. It was nothing fancy, they were just too lazy to cook anything. Dan leaned against Matt. He'd put back his hoodie. It was an old thing that had been blue some time ago, but it was grayer than blue by now. It smelled like vanilla.

"He washed your hoodie," she said. It smelled good. She'd have to ask him what type of laundry he used.

The waiter came and asked for their order. Dan asked for some fries and a milkshake. Matt hummed, looking at the menu and finally settled for a sandwich.

Three hours later, he was puking in the toilets, looking very green. Dan rubbed his back. "How are you feeling, babe?"

"Been better," he admitted, with a rough voice. "I think I ate something bad."

Dan frowned, remembering something. "What was in your sandwich again?"

He puked again before answering. "I don't know, tomatoes, salad, tuna? Some mayonnaise too."

"Didn't your prediction say, and I quote _Don't eat the tuna sandwich_?"

Matt shrugged. "Yeah, I think so."

"Well, guess it was accurate too."

 

 

When Aaron opened the door in the morning, he already knew who would be there. He didn't know the reason though.

"What do you want?" He asked.

Dan leaned on the door frame, her arms crossed. She had defined arm muscles, Aaron noted, bared by the cut-off sleeve of her t-shirt. "So, turned out, your prediction was right."

"Obviously. Do you actually want something?" He asked, frowning at her.

"Maybe I'm just here to chat." She smirked at him.

"I will close the door in your face," he warned.

She laughed. "You'll do that anyway," she said. "I'm here to see if your fugitive is still alive."

Aaron scowled. "He's fine." She made a skeptical face. "Josten! Are you dead yet?"

"No," Josten shouted back from his place slumped in the beanbag.

"A pity," Aaron said, voice still loud on purpose.

"Go fuck yourself," Josten replied.

Aaron sent a meaningful glance at Dan. "See, he's fine."

She hummed. "You know what, I'll take a prediction."

He held out his hand. "I need something personal."

She thought for a moment. Her eyes got a mischievous glint. He could already tell she was up to no good.

She got her hand behind her back, did something Aaron couldn't see. He caught to what she was she took the first strap of her bra off.

She put it in his hand with a very self-satisfied smile. "Will that do?"

Her bra was dark pink, with laces and a small purple bow in the middle. He tried very hard to not blush. He didn't think he succeeded. He sent her a venomous glance. "Yes," he bit out.

She only grinned harder. She took her wallet out and slipped three dollars into his pant pockets. "Good," she said, far too close to his face. "See you tomorrow."

"Is that a bra?" Nicky asked. "It's pretty."

"It's for a prediction," Aaron told him.

Nicky wriggled his eyebrows. "What a charmer, Aaron Minyard."

"Shut the fuck up, Nicky," both twins said in unison.

They glared at each other. Neil snorted. Aaron hoped he'd receive a prediction of his imminent death in the near future.

 

 

The police called them saying they'd found the truck. Unfortunately, it was wrecked. An accident of some kind, they weren't sure.

Matt moped around the entire day, mourning his truck.

He was still mourning when they went up.

Aaron glanced at him. He looked torn. Probably between curiosity and ignoring the problem altogether, Dan figured.

"What's his problem?" He asked.

"His truck got wrecked," she said. Matt made a sad noise and she patted his shoulder. "We don't have the money to repair it or buy a new one. If I find the asshole who stole it...."

Aaron frowned. "Was it stoled five nights ago? It's light blue."

"Yes to both," she answered, squinting at him. "How did you know?"

He shoved her bra and her prediction into her arms and slammed the door.

"What the fuck," she muttered. She shrugged and took her boyfriend's arm. "Come on, big baby. Let's go back to our room and cuddle."

"That sounds nice," Matt said, and kissed her temple. "It'll help heal my broken heart."

Her prediction read tickets, _two for the zoo, but three for hockey._

Her bra smelled like vanilla.

 

 

Their cuddle session was turning more into a fooling around session when someone pounded on their door.

"Are you waiting for someone?" Dan asked, eyebrows pulled together.

He shook his head. "No." He kissed her shoulder and got up to open the door.

Nicky let out a little whistle at his bare torso. Andrew raised an eyebrow. Aaron stared resolutely at his face. Only the guest, Josten Dan had told him, looked completely unaffected.

Aaron, his usual scowl in place, elbowed Josten. Josten elbowed him back with a glare.

"What's happening?" Dan asked. She'd put his t-shirt on, and she looked very cute in it.

"Neil has something to tell you," Aaron said, looking pointedly at him.

Neil bit his lip and fidgeted. "I stole your truck," he mumbled. "And I was the one who wrecked it. With Andrew's help."

Andrew shrugged, unconcerned. "I'm not the one who can't drive."

Neil pulled out a few crumpled bills from his jeans' back pocket and gave them to Matt. "This should cover the repairs," he said, and left.

"From now on, you're doing your own fucking errands," Andrew said to his twin, before following Neil.

Matt did not get it.

"Sorry again," Nicky apologized with a grimace.

Aaron seemed to hesitate for a moment. "I'll give you one complex prediction for free because my brother is an asshole and it's a bit my fault," he said. "Come by tomorrow evening."

He left, leaving Matt and Dan very confused and eight hundred dollars richer.

 

 

Aaron was arguing with some guy from the soccer team when they arrived at the door. He had cup noodles in on hand and a pan in the other, which was a weird combination.

"No refund," he said. "Can you read?"

The guy leaned closer to Aaron, using his size to intimidate him. Or attempt to, at least. The Minyard twins were not easily intimidated.

"I want my money back. What kind of prediction is this shit? Holding two cups means two broken cups when you trip."

"Listen," Aaron said, crossing his arms. "I don't give a fuck."

Dan made her way to the door. "You heard him, go away."

"Mind your business, Wilds."

She crossed her arms, chin held high. "Your coach will be glad to hear you beat people up for three dollars."

"Like you believe it when he says he can predict the future. He doesn't even use tea leaves or shit."

Aaron glared at him and dumped his cup noodles in the pan. "Watch me fucking predict your future with unhealthy fake Chinese food," he challenged. "Oh, my noodles say your girlfriend's coming for you and she's pissed."

"William!" A voice shouted. A girl with blond hair stormed toward them. "I can't believe you cheated on me, you fucking asshole," she snarled and slapped him.

"Lily," he shouted and ran after her, a hand on his cheek.

"Did you know he was gonna get slapped?" Matt asked.

"Yes," he replied, a small smile dancing on his lips. It suited him. "But I wasn't gonna deprive myself of seeing it. And he deserved it."

"You're a jerk," Dan said, but amusement was etched on her features.

"Cup noodles have nothing to do with a pan," Matt said, torn between amusement and horror at Aaron's terrible eating habits.

Aaron looked down at his hands like he was seeing it for the first time. He wrinkled his nose with distaste. _Cute_ , thought Matt. "I got... distracted," Aaron justified himself. "I didn't mean to do that."

He opened the door and let them in. The room looked like a normal room populated by three (+1) boys. There were jeans thrown over the back of the couch. Matt almost tripped on a shoe abandoned outside of the shoe pit at the entrance.

Andrew was on the window sill, smoking. Neil and Nicky were playing video games, slumped into bean bags. Neil still had a bandage on the side of his face, but he was looking much better overall.

Matt stood in front of him. Neil paused the game and looked up. "What?" He asked. His eyes were blue.

Matt frowned. "Weren't your eyes brown?" He shook his head. "Doesn't matter. I came to return the money. You didn't steal my truck, I saw the guy."

Andrew nudged Neil with the tip of his foot. Neil batted him away with a scowl. "He did. Show them, rabbit," Andrew said,

Neil bared his teeth at Andrew. "Fuck you," he said to Andrew, then turned back to Matt. "It was me."

"Dude, no offense but you're like tiny and young. The guy I saw was old, skin a bit darker than yours, bald head, beard, not you."

"It was me," Neil repeated and changed in front of his eyes. His nose shortened and flattened, his jaw became squared. His face morphed into something older, with wrinkles, marked by time. When Matt blinked again, Neil was the man who'd stolen his truck's keys.

"The fuck," Dan said, from behind him.

"I'm a witch," Neil said. It was his voice coming from the mouth of a stranger. The effect was eerie. "An illusionist."

He turned back into Neil. His eyes were brown again. Matt supposed that explained the changing eye color.

Neil curved his finger, beckoning him closer. He slipped his fingers behind Matt's ears. "Careful not lose this," he said. He was holding Matt's car keys in his hand. "Could be useful."

Matt took the keys, searching where they came from. Neil was wearing a short-sleeved shirt. "I am taking the money because I really need it," he accepted, "but I'm buying you dinner at some point."

Neil titled his head to the side. "Why?"

"Because I want to?" Matt said, confused. "Do I need any other reason?"

Neil shook his head. "I mean... No?"

"Good. Then, you'll come for dinner with me. Don't run off before we can."

 

 

Aaron was boiling water in the kitchen when Dan and Matt joined him.

"Who wants a reading?" Aaron asked, pouring water in salvaged cup noodles.

Dan sat down, curious despite herself. She looked around. "Don't you need a tarot deck or something?"

Aaron pointed at the black and white box on the table. "That's my tarot deck," he replied, and slurped some of his noodles.

Matt snorted. "Is that a Cards Against Humanity deck?"

Aaron shrugged and sat at the table in front of Dan. "Gotta get with the time." He opened the box, separated the black cards from the white cards. "Shuffle them," he said.

She shuffled first the black, then the white. Aaron was watching her with piercing eyes. They looked bronze in the low light of the kitchen. With his blond hair and pale skin, he was a study in gold.

He laid the cards on the table. "Pick two."

Dan glanced at Matt. He titled his chin to say go on. She hovered over the cards. She couldn't really feel anything. It was sort of comical doing this with a Cards against Humanity pack of cards.

A card on the right caught her eye. It laid slightly crooked compared to the other. Dan took it. Another one seemed a bit out of alignment. She wasn't sure, but she picked it. Aaron turned them around and snorted. "This is gonna be promising."

He took the deck of white cards and picked four, as many blanks as there were on the picked black cards.

 

_Men+Homosexual agenda=Surprise sex_

_Fun tip! When your man asks you to go down on him, try surprising him with my relationship status instead!_

 

Matt leaned over her shoulder. "Do you even know what it means?" He asked.

Aaron raised an eyebrow. "It's pretty straightforward, let's be honest," he said.

Dan looked at the cards on the table. "This is the weirdest reading I've ever gotten."

Aaron made a small breathy sound. Dan squinted at him until she realized he was laughing. His hand was in front of his mouth, but with the way little creases had appeared at the corner of his eyes, it was impossible to miss.

Dan stared a beat too long, and Aaron went from relaxed and amused to tensed and suspicious. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

Dan blinked at him. "Like what?" She said, suddenly very aware of Matt in the room with them.

Aaron glared at her. "Nevermind. Forget it," he said and stood up, leaving the kitchen.

"What did I do?"

Matt shrugged.

 

 

Dan was making cookies. She rarely baked, but when she did, she always went all out. She'd already made one batch of chocolate cookies, one with dark chocolate chip cookies and was looking at the rest of the dough like she planned on making one last batch. Matt wasn't sure how they were going to eat the first ones.

"I think I should make another batch," she said.

"Do as you like, babe," Matt said, because it was usually easier to agree with Dan. She was a headstrong person. And stubborn.

"I mean, I know these two batches are enough, but I think a third one would be nice. I was thinking butterscotch cookies. We both like it."

Matt looked up and squinted at his girlfriend. She was staring at the bowl as if she wasn't seeing it. "Yes, that sounds good?"

"I mean, I'm perfectly content with the two batches already, they are completely fine the way they are, but we both like butterscotch. I know we do, and it may be unconventional but cookies are not supposed to be conventional, they are supposed to be about love. And adding a third could make something really great, you see? I mean, what do you think about it?"

Matt closed his textbook. "We are not talking about cookies anymore, are we?" He asked, just to make sure (though he had a strong suspicion).

Dan sighed. "No, we aren't."

She came to see next to him, curling against his side. "I see the way you look at him. Aaron," she added, even though Matt had known who she'd been talking about the moment she'd said _him._

"I would never cheat on you."

She sighed, rubbed the bridge of her nose. "I know, that's not what I meant," she said. "I see the way you look at him because I look at him the same."

"Oh," Matt breathed. Words escaped him for a moment. "Do you... what do you want to do? About Aaron?"

She curled up tighter against him. He dragged a hand through her hair, brushed the tip of her ear. "I want to try," she said. "I checked polyamory on the Internet. It's a real thing."

Matt shrugged. "Obviously it's a real thing. Kings used to have like three lovers at the same time."

"You're dumb," she said with a soft laugh. "I meant, with three, sort of like a triangle? Do you think he'd be interested?

"Why wouldn't he want us? We are a delight." He paused for a moment. "If he's not interested, then we'll have each other. You'll have me."

She sat up and cupped his cheek. He leaned into it, kissing her palm. "And you'll have me," she said, and something in his heart settled again.

 

 

Aaron liked the library. He liked the hushed whispers of students. He liked the comforting shuffle of people walking around. It was the perfect to be alone without being lonely, surrounded by books and students working (or pretending too, at least).

He hadn't expected to see Dan and Matt coming into the library at 11 pm and sitting in front of him on the table.

Dan smiled at him. He scowled. The library was his safe place, he didn't need two idiots polluting his quiet time.

"Hi," Matt said, with a wide grin.

"It's a library," he reminded him. "Keep your voice down."

Matt made a sheepish face and if Aaron had not been irritated to have been interrupted in his studying he would have thought it was cute.

"We aren't just here to bother you," Dan said.

"Really. Please enlighten me on your presence here."

"We wanted to give you something."

"I don't want it," he said.

"But you don't even know what it is," Matt protested, with wide brown puppy-eyes. Aaron tried to resist, really, he did.

"Fine, what is it?" He grumbled.

Dan grinned victoriously and dug tickets from inside her pocket. "Ice hockey tickets. We just happen to have three and we want you to come with us."

Aaron frowned. He studied them, looking for the trick. People did not invite him to hockey games or parties. He made sure of that. The two idiots were looking awfully genuine, though.

"Why?" He asked.

Matt tilted his head to the side, like a confused dog. Not cute, Aaron reminded himself. "Because we want you there?"

Aaron narrowed his eyes at them. "You want something."

"Just your gentle and soft presence to this hockey game," Dan said with a smirk.

Aaron snorted. "My gentle and soft presence, my ass." He checked the date - two weeks from now on - and decided that why not, after all. "Don't expect me to pay for anything."

Matt grinned at him. "Nice," Dan said. Aaron just stared at them with confusion.

"It's a date," Matt said, as they were leaving.

Aaron's heart did not skip a beat.

 

 

Aaron woke up with his fingers itching. It was a familiar feeling. He grabbed his phone on the nightstand and wrote the prediction down.

He frowned at the words on the screen. _Jamais deux sans trois_ , it read. He had no idea what it meant, but he rarely knew what his prediction meant. Another language wasn't going to change much.

He put his phone back and rolled over, trying to fall back asleep.

After fifteen minutes of turning and turning, he gave up. He left his bed, muttering a few curse words under his breath at the cold. He slipped a sweater on and left the bedroom.

He almost had a heart attack when he saw a dark figure in the living room. It only took a second to recognize Neil, but his heart was still beating hard in his chest.

"Fuck, you scared me," Aaron hissed. Neil had frozen in his spot, and was looking at him with cold careful eyes. His hand was curled around something. It glinted when he moved, and Aaron recognized a knife. "Were you planning on leaving?" He asked.

Neil clucked his tongue. "Mind your business."

Aaron shrugged. "I don't give a fuck about you. Leave if you want, I won't be the one disappointed."

Neil glared at him. He pocketed his knife and took off his shoes. He slumped on the sofa, crossing his arms.

"Prediction," Aaron replied.

"Why are you even awake?" Neil asked

"Yes, because obviously, I do it on purpose."

"It's very annoying when you do that."

They stared at each other for a moment.

"How does it stop?" Neil asked.

Aaron shrugs. "It's like having the hiccups. Starts by itself, stops whenever it wants."

Neil hummed. "Sucks." He pulled his legs up against his chest. "What was the prediction about?"

"Why does it matter?"

"Just curious."

Aaron opened his phone and showed him. "Do you even speak French?" Neil asked.

"Do I look like I fucking have the time to learn French?"

"You are such an asshole," Neil muttered. "Literally, it means never two without three. It's just to say things come in three. Weird prediction."

"All my prophecies are weird. It's written on the fucking door."

Neil glared at him. "Have I ever told you how much I hate you?"

"Yes."

"I'll repeat it again, anyway. I hate you."

"Likewise, Josten."

"Get the fuck off my bed, I'm trying to go back to sleep."

"It was my couch first, dick."

"Fuck you."

 

 

The ice rink was loud. Aaron had never been to an ice hockey game before. There were screaming and shouting.

Dan gave him a quick rundown of the rules on the way there. She was smiling wide. Dan smiled with her whole face. It lit up her eyes. Aaron didn't understand why they were so surprised and happy he was there.

When they'd knocked on the door earlier, Aaron had opened it. They'd both brightened up when they saw him. Aaron had squinted at them, feeling like they plotting something.

"I still don't know why you wanted to take me," he told Dan.

She knocked their shoulders together. "We thought you'd like it," she said, just when a player slammed another one in the wall. Aaron snorted loudly.

When he glanced at Dan, she was grinning, a playful glint in her eyes. "Fine," he conceded. "It's passable."

Matt and Dan both cheered. Matt slang an arm around his shoulders. "I knew you'd like it, buddy."

He was warm and solid against Aaron. Aaron wasn't used to people touching him, especially not hugging him. It was... nice. Comforting. He let himself enjoy it.

A guy in red scored. He had no idea which team he belonged to. The reds, he supposed. Dan and Matt stood up, cheering. Aaron blinked.

Two guys started fighting. Aaron didn't know the mechanics of a fight on ice skates, but the guys looked in control. He cheered with the others when they threw each other on the ice.

Fighting, that he knew.

 

 

They stopped in front of Dan and Matt's room.

Matt made a joke and Aaron surprised himself by laughing. The sound tumbled from his lips, unexpected. Both Dan and Matt stared at him, and there was something like wonder in their eyes. His cheeks felt warm and his stomach was squirming.

"What?"

Matt shook his head. "Nothing," he said. His voice was soft and his gaze didn't leave Aaron's face.

"Did you have fun?" Dan asked.

He contemplated denying but... "Yeah," he said. He forced himself to give them a smile. It came almost naturally. "I had fun. Thank you."

"I'm glad," Dan said.

She was close. There was a little scar at the corner of her lip, like she'd cut herself. She had two holes in her ear. He'd never noticed.

She raised a hand and brushed his temple. His heart was in his throat. His breathing seemed too loud in the space between their face. She brushed a curl off his forehead and tucked it behind his ear.

She kissed him.

Her mouth was plump and insistent. She tasted like the Nutella crêpe she'd eaten earlier. Aaron lost himself in the warmth of her mouth, in the feeling of her hands in his hair and for a moment there were only them.

But it wasn't just them.

His eyes snapped open. He pushed her away. "The fuck!?" He stared at Dan, taking her wide eyes, the way her hair was mussed, he'd done that, he was the one who had done- "I'm an asshole, but I'm not a homewrecker!"

He took a step back. Matt caught his arm. "No, no, Aaron," he said. "It's not- You don't understand."

He tried to yank his arm back. "What don't I understand?"

Matt framed his face with his hands. Aaron's heart lost its rhythm. Matt's thumb brushed the skin under his eye. "We like you," he said. "Both of us."

"You are crazy," Aaron whispered. He took one of Matt's hand off his face and just- kept it. It was big and calloused. Aaron liked it and it was such a stupid thing to like.

Matt let out a little laugh. "Crazy for you."

Dan made an ugly snort behind them. "God, you are so cheesy," she complained, but kissed his cheek. Her gaze slid to Aaron. "It's true, though."

"Never two without three," Aaron murmured, understanding dawning on him.

"What?"

He shook his head. "It's nothing. I think–" He took a deep breath, gathered his courage. "I think I haven't kissed you yet."

Matt beamed. "We can rectify that," he said and bent down to kiss Aaron.

("You know," Dan said, much later, when they were all settled in one bed, watching Netflix. "Your prediction did promise me surprise sex. You better deliver.")

**Author's Note:**

> where is kevin? who the fuck knows. not me.
> 
> i will be honest, i didn't know where i was going when i started this fic. this was one of my funniest and weirdest ideas. maybe i'll write andrew and neil's side one day.
> 
> anyway, it was fun to write for a ship i had no idea about. maybe never doing it again. but it was fun.
> 
> happy holidays!!!
> 
>  
> 
> [join me on tumblr](http://elyteracy.tumblr.com)


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